Eli Lilly Partners with METiS TechBio in Up to $1.1 Bn AI Drug Delivery Deal

The agreement will combine METiS TechBio's AI-driven lipid discovery platform with Lilly's expertise in drug discovery, development and commercialisation

Global pharma company Eli Lilly and Company has entered into a research collaboration with Hong Kong-listed biotechnology company METiS TechBio to develop lipid nanoparticle (LNP)-based drug delivery technologies designed to improve the targeting of therapeutic molecules to specific tissues.

The agreement will combine METiS TechBio's artificial intelligence (AI)-driven lipid discovery platform with Lilly's expertise in drug discovery, development and commercialisation.

Under the terms, METiS is eligible to receive an upfront payment in the low double-digit millions of US dollars, along with up to approximately $1.1 billion in development, regulatory and commercial milestone payments.

The company may also receive tiered royalties in the single-digit percentage range based on annual net sales of products arising from the collaboration.

METiS’ AiLNP platform uses machine learning models to identify and optimise ionisable lipids for producing LNPs that carry therapeutic molecules into cells.

The partnership combines AI-based lipid discovery with Lilly's drug development capabilities to explore delivery technologies for potential therapeutic applications.

Through the collaboration, the companies aim to develop new formulations that are expected to enable improved tissue specificity, enhanced therapeutic performance, and broader applicability across multiple disease areas.

“By combining METiS' AI-powered platform with Lilly's scientific expertise and development capabilities, we aim to unlock a new generation of tissue-targeted delivery technologies that have the potential to transform how medicines reach patients,” METiS Chair and CEO Chris Lai said.

The latest agreement follows another AI-focused collaboration involving Lilly.

Earlier, the pharmaceutical giant Eli Lilly entered into a multi-program strategic collaboration with US-based AI biotech firm Profluent to develop AI-designed recombinases for genetic medicine applications.

The partnership is valued at up to $2.25 billion and includes upfront payments, research and development, funding, and milestone-based royalties alongside tiered royalties on future product sales to Profluent.

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